Brewster Academy

The roots of our history began in 1820 when the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy was founded. The Academy welcomed its first students in 1821 and educated many local and not so local residents including Henry Wilson (U.S. vice president under Ulysses S. Grant) and John Brewster (1812-1886), a successful Boston businessman and banker. In 1886 the estate of John Brewster, under the direction of his son William, established Brewster Free Academy for students under the conditions “that no restriction shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from said school or academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.” At that time, John Brewster’s gift was considered to be the largest philanthropic donation of its kind.

Brewster is an elite boarding school without the elitism:  an intellectually diverse and academically challenging community that nurtures curiosity, confidence, collaboration, and character in preparation for lives of meaning and accomplishment. Brewster students:

• Learn to master academic content and the skills that matter in life.
• Transform in an academically challenging environment without standardization.
• Believe in our shared responsibility for success.
• Understand their potential.
• Feel empowered to achieve in an environment inclusive of everyone's unique talent.
• Emerge with a strong sense of self and a deep commitment to others.

Know that Brewster is the way education should be: the perfect balance of academic and emotional development in a place where all can do their best without having to best each other. We prepare diverse thinkers for lives of purpose. An approach to learning that has the exponential power to transform education, communities, and the lives of students in our care.

Nestled on 80 acres along a half-mile shoreline of Lake Winnipesaukee, the Brewster campus is stunning with its abundant green spaces, majestic trees, and quintessential New England buildings offering picturesque views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Our academic program has one central goal: to help you become the best possible learner you can be. We want you to become successful in and passionate about your academic endeavors, so that you can head to college with equal measures of curiosity, character, and confidence. We achieve our goal by meeting you where you are when you arrive and challenging and stretching you appropriately as you hone your skills and develop your talents during your time at Brewster. This student-centered approach is the way education should be: the perfect balance of academic and emotional development in a place where all can do their best without besting each other.